Colloquium

Upcoming Colloquium

Visualizing Novel Phases of Matter Using the Quantum Tunneling and Photoelectric Effects
Dr. Christopher Gutiérrez, UCLA

December 4, 2023
11:00am in HSCI-102

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Christopher Gutierrez

Abstract

Gas. Liquid. Solid. These are three phases of matter that we experience in our everyday lives. However, for electrons that reside within crystal solids, geometry and quantum mechanics can conspire to produce a spectacular variety of exotic phases. In this talk, I will describe recent experiments where we use atomic defects to induce novel "density-wave" phases in graphene, a single monolayer of ordinary graphite. We detect the presence of these new phases using complementary techniques that measure either the position or momentum of graphene's electrons. Like an archaeologist re-assembling an ancient statue from its broken pieces, these tools allow us to reconstruct and visualize the symmetry and spectroscopic signature of different density-wave phases in several graphene systems. Our results suggest a surprising sensitivity of the graphene lattice to dilute disorder and opens the door to harnessing defects to tailor the properties of two-dimensional materials.

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max power ratio for latch-mediated spring actuated systems
Fig. Max power ratio for latch-mediated spring actuated systems.

 Biosketch

Christopher Gutiérrez graduated from UCLA with dual B.S. degrees in physics and mathematics and a minor in classics. After a gap year doing construction work with his father, he earned a M.S. degree in physics from Cal State LA before moving onto Columbia University and attaining his Ph.D. in physics. He was a postdoctoral fellow at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and a Prize Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of British Columbia Quantum Matter Institute before going home to join the faculty at UCLA in 2020. Besides being a scientist, Christopher is an artist who enjoys making YouTube videos to teach students all over the world how to create beautiful scientific figures.

Colloquium Coordinator

For information and suggestions about the colloquium please contact the colloquium coordinator:

Dr. Alex Klotz
Alex.Klotz@csulb.edu

Schedule

The first Colloquium for Spring 2023 is on Monday, January 30. Additional details about colloquia will be posted as information becomes available.

Upcoming Colloquia
Date Title Speaker and Affiliation
December 4, 2023 Visualizing Novel Phases of Matter Using the Quantum Tunneling and Photoelectric Effects Dr. Christopher Gutiérrez, UCLA

Previous Colloquia

Previous Colloquia
Date Title Speaker and Affiliation
November 27, 2023 Physical Principles of Elastic Movements Dr. Mark Ilton, Harvey Mudd College
November 13, 2023 Self-assembly of Colloidal Particles: How Binary Systems Help Us Design Microscopic Order in Driven and Equilibrium Assemblies Dr. Nabila Tanjeem, CSU Fullerton
November 6, 2023 Investigations of Ultracold Atoms in Microgravity Environments Dr. Maren Mossman, University of San Diego
October 30, 2023 From Cytoskeletal Assemblies to Living Machines Dr. Peter Foster, USC
October 23, 2023 From Kepler to the Habitable Worlds Observatory: The Emerging Picture of Planet Populations Dr. Jessie Christiansen, Caltech
October 16, 2023 Topic: Photoemission Luca Moreschini, UC Berkeley
October 9, 2023 Nuclear Astrophysics with Gravitational Wave Observations Dr. Jocelyn Read, CSU Fullerton
October 2, 2023 Probing Quantum Mechanics with Silicon Electronics Dr. Justin Perron, CSU San Marcos
September 25, 2023 Ultra-faint Dwarf Galaxies: Their Evolutionary Histories & Galactic Correlations Dr. Katy Rodriguez Wimberly, CSU San Bernardino
September 18, 2023 How We've Failed to Discover Dark Matter Dr. Flip Tanedo, UC Riverside
September 11, 2023 Meet and Greet All Physics Students and Faculty, CSU Long Beach

The Colloquium Archive has the Colloquia from previous semesters.


Sponsors

We acknowledge with gratitude donations and support from the following present sponsors:

  • H.E. and H.B. Miller and Family Endowment
  • Benjamin Carter
  • American Physical Society
  • Anonymous

We also acknowledge with gratitude our past donors: The Forty-Niner Shops, Inc., The Northrop Grumman Foundation, Sandra Dana, Anonymous.

If you wish to support the Colloquium, please contact the colloquium coordinator or the department chair. Thank you!